ITALIAN Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte sent a stern warning to the European Commission vowing to safeguard Italy's economic interests against European ones in order to tackle the huge debt faced by his country.

Speaking at a press conference in Rome before the summer recess, the Italian Prime Minister vowed his government will be "very serious" in its demands to Brussels.

Mr Conte claimed Brussels has already been warned of some of the red lines in his economic plan aimed at tackling Italy's debt.

In July, the country’s horrendous €2.1 trillion debt has risen by 1.6 points, making it the third highest debt-ridden state after Belgium, which has shown a 2.9 point increase, and Greece, up 1.8 points, according to figures from Eurostat.

“We will go to Brussels with our heads held high with a strong, reasonable and brave programme.

“A programme that will safeguard Italy’s interests, not theirs.

“On this, we will be very, very serious.”

At the start of 2018, Italy’s debt was recorded at 131.8 percent GDP meaning the amount owed has been creeping up since the appointments of Five Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio and Lega leader Matteo Salvini.

The two Deputy Prime Ministers have caused chaos for Brussels in a number of ways, most notably by demanding freedom from EU-imposed austerity at a time when the debt has spiralled out of control.

Mr Di Maio insisted all EU member states must have the same fiscal and welfare systems after Italy was penalised with strict curbs on spending.

He told Italian newspaper La Stampa: “There are five million people in poverty. It is an absolute emergency.

“In the next months, the Government's attitude will be different from the past.

“We will move to obtain greater investments and the possibility of making structural reforms in the fiscal and welfare sectors.”